The role of residual inflammatory risk and LDL cholesterol in patients with in-stent restenosis undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the relationships between residual inflammatory risk [assessed by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP)], residual cholesterol risk [assessed by low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)] and clinical outcomes among patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for in-stent restenosis (ISR) lesions. METHODS: Between January 2017 and December 2018, a total of 2079 patients who underwent PCI for ISR were consecutively enrolled. The primary outcome was the rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as a composite endpoint of all-cause death, spontaneous myocardial infarction (MI), or repeat revascularization. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 36 months, 436 MACEs occurred. Baseline hsCRP was significantly associated with MACE (highest versus lowest quartile, adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.90 [95 % CI, 1.39-2.59]; P < 0.001). By contrast, the baseline LDL-C quartile was not associated with MACE (highest versus lowest quartile, aHR 0.93 [95 % CI, 0.71- 1.22]; P = 0.59). Compared with patients without residual risk (hsCRP <2 mg/L and LDL-C < 70 mg/dL), participants with both residual inflammatory and LDL-C risk (hsCRP ≥2 mg/L and LDL-C ≥ 70 mg/dL) (aHR, 1.39 [95 % CI, 1.06-1.83]; P = 0.02) and those with residual inflammatory risk only (hsCRP ≥2 mg/L and LDL-C < 70 mg/dL) (aHR, 1.34 [95 % CI, 1.01-1.72]; P = 0.04) had significantly higher risks of MACE. CONCLUSIONS: In the current cohort of patients after ISR PCI, inflammation assessed by hsCRP predicted higher risk of adverse clinical outcomes, whereas the level of LDL-C was not associated with adverse prognosis.

Clinical Predictors of the Rapid Progression and Revascularization of Coronary Non-Target Lesions: A Serial Angiographic Study.

Background: Rapid progression of coronary non-target lesions is essential for the determination of future cardiovascular events. Clinical factors that predict rapid progression of non-target lesions are unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical predictors of rapid progression and revascularization of coronary non-target lesions. Methods: Consecutive patients with coronary heart disease who had undergone two serial coronary angiograms were enrolled. All coronary non-target lesions were identified and evaluated at both procedures. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to investigate the clinical risk factors associated with rapid progression or revascularization of coronary non-target lesions. Results: A total of 1255 patients and 1670 lesions were enrolled. In this cohort of patients, 239 (19%) had rapid progression and 186 (14.8%) underwent revascularization. At the lesion level, 251 (15.0%) had rapid progression and 194 (11.6%) underwent revascularization. The incidence of lesion revascularization and myocardial infarction was significantly higher in patients with rapid progression. In multivariable analyses, hypertension (hazard ratio [HR], 0.76; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.58-1.00; p = 0.049), ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) (HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.03-2.07; p = 0.035), glycosylated hemoglobin (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.01-1.33; p = 0.039) and lesion classification (B2/C versus A/B1) (HR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.27-2.35; p = 0.001) were significant factors associated with rapid progression. The level of triglycerides (HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.00-1.20; p = 0.040) and lesion classification (B2/C versus A/B1) (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.09-2.14; p = 0.014) were predictors of lesion revascularization. Conclusions: Hypertension, STEMI, glycosylated hemoglobin and lesion classification may be used as predictors of rapid progression of coronary non-target lesions. The level of triglyceride and lesion classification may predict the revascularization of non-target lesions. In order to prevent future cardiovascular events, increased attention should be paid to patients with these factors.

Implication of sleep apnea for cardiac remodeling in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiac remodeling is a life-long process in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and if uncontrolled, would cause substantial morbidity and mortality. Sleep apnea (SA) is a common comorbidity in HCM. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between SA and cardiac remodeling in a large series of patients with HCM. METHODS: A total of 606 patients with HCM who underwent sleep evaluations at Fuwai Hospital were included. Parameters of cardiac remodeling were evaluated by echocardiographic studies. RESULTS: SA was present in 363 (59.9%) patients. Left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic diameter (P < 0.001), left atrial (LA) diameter (P = 0.024), ascending aortic diameter (P < 0.001) all increased and maximal end-diastolic wall thickness (P < 0.001) decreased with the severity of SA. After adjustment for sex, age, body mass index, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, coronary artery disease and cigarette use, log (apnea-hypopnea index+1) was independently correlated with increasing LV end-diastolic diameter (ß = 0.729, P = 0.003) and deceasing maximal end-diastolic wall thickness (ß = -0.503, P = 0.009). Log (percentage of total sleep time spent with oxygen saturation<90% + 1) was independently correlated with increasing LV end-diastolic diameter (ß = 0.609, P = 0.004) and LA diameter (ß = 0.695, P = 0.006). Severity of SA (severe SA with odds ratio, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.20-4.70; P = 0.013), log (apnea-hypopnea index+1) (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.01-1.63; P = 0.045) and log (percentage of total sleep time spent with oxygen saturation<90% + 1) (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.08-1.59; P = 0.006) were also independently associated with LV enlargement. CONCLUSIONS: Severity of SA is independently associated with cardiac remodeling indicating a trend toward enlarged chamber size and thinned wall. Clinical trials are required to determine whether treatment of SA improves cardiac remodeling and long-term outcomes in patients with HCM.

Comparison of Recurrent With First-Time In-Stent Restenosis.

Recurrent in-stent restenosis (Re-ISR) remains a therapeutic challenge. We aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment, and long-term outcomes in patients with Re-ISR compared with those with first-time ISR (First-ISR). This retrospective study consecutively enrolled patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ISR in Fuwai Hospital between January 2017 and December 2018. Re-ISR was defined as a second event of ISR after a previous successful treatment of the ISR lesion. The primary outcome was defined as a composite of all-cause death, spontaneous myocardial infarction, and repeat revascularization. A total of 2,006 patients (2,154 lesions) with ISR underwent successful PCI were enrolled and categorized into 2 groups: the Re-ISR group (246 patients/259 lesions) and the First-ISR group (1,760 patients/1,895 lesions). During a mean follow-up of 36 months, the primary outcomes occurred in 80 patients (32.5%) in the Re-ISR group and 349 patients (19.3%) in the First-ISR group (p <0.001 by log-rank test), major driven by spontaneous myocardial infarction (4.9% vs 2.7%, p = 0.049) and repeat revascularization (30.1% vs 16.5%, p <0.001). The multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that Re-ISR was independently associated with a higher rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (adjusted hazard ratio 1.88, 95% confidence interval 1.39 to 2.53, p <0.001) and repeated revascularization (adjusted hazard ratio 2.09, 95% confidence interval 1.53 to 2.84, p <0.001). The relation remained consistent after the propensity score analysis. In conclusion, in the present cohort of patients who underwent PCI for ISR, Re-ISR was significantly associated with a higher risk of long-term outcomes than First-ISR.

Role of ST-Segment Resolution Alone and in Combination With TIMI Flow After Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Background To evaluate the role of ST-segment resolution (STR) alone and in combination with Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow in reperfusion evaluation after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction by investigating the long-term prognostic impact. Methods and Results From January 2013 through September 2014, we studied 5966 patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction enrolled in the CAMI (China Acute Myocardial Infarction) registry with available data of STR evaluated at 120 minutes after PPCI. Successful STR included STR ≥50% and complete STR (ST-segment back to the equipotential line). After PPCI, the TIMI flow was assessed. The primary outcome was 2-year all-cause mortality. STR < 50%, STR ≥50%, and complete STR occurred in 20.6%, 64.3%, and 15.1% of patients, respectively. By multivariable analysis, STR ≥50% (5.6%; adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.45 [95% CI, 0.36-0.56]) and complete STR (5.1%; adjusted HR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.34-0.67]) were significantly associated with lower 2-year mortality than STR <50% (11.7%). Successful STR was an independent predictor of 2-year mortality across the spectrum of clinical variables. After combining TIMI flow with STR, different 2-year mortality was observed in subgroups, with the lowest in successful STR and TIMI 3 flow, intermediate when either of these measures was reduced, and highest when both were abnormal. Conclusions Post-PPCI STR is a robust long-term prognosticator for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, whereas the integrated analysis of STR plus TIMI flow yields incremental prognostic information beyond either measure alone, supporting it as a convenient and reliable surrogate end point for defining successful PPCI. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT01874691.

Association between lipoprotein(a) and long-term outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention for lesions with in-stent restenosis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the association between increased lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] and long-term outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for in-stent restenosis (ISR). BACKGROUND: Elevated Lp(a) is demonstrated to be associated with recurrent ischemic events after PCI. However, the impact of Lp(a) in patients with ISR remains undetermined. METHODS: Between January 2017 and December 2018, a total of 2086 patients who underwent PCI for ISR were consecutively enrolled. Patients were categorized as elevated group (> 30 mg/dL, n=834) and non-elevated group (≤ 30 mg/dL, n=1252) according to baseline Lp(a) levels. The primary outcome was the rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as a composite endpoint of all-cause death, spontaneous myocardial infarction (MI), or repeat revascularization. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 36 months, the primary outcome occurred in 202 of 1252 patients (26.7%) in the elevated Lp(a) group and 237 of 834 patients (21.8%) in the non-elevated Lp(a) group (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.31; 95% confidence interval: 1.08-1.58; P = 0.007), driven by higher rate of all-cause death (4.1% vs. 2.5%, P = 0.002 by Log-rank test; aHR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.07-2.94; P = 0.03) and repeat revascularization (22.3% vs. 19.5%, P = 0.04 by Log-rank test; aHR: 1.18; 95% CI: 0.94-1.49; P = 0.16). Adding continuous or categorical Lp(a) to the Cox model led to a significant improvement in C-statistic, net reclassification, and integrated discrimination. The results were consistent across subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: In the current cohort of patients who underwent PCI for ISR, elevated Lp(a) at baseline is associated with higher risk of long-term MACE.

Association of Types of Sleep Apnea and Nocturnal Hypoxemia with Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Data regarding the association between sleep apnea (SA) and atrial fibrillation (AF) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are still limited. We aim to investigate the association of both types of SA, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA), and nocturnal hypoxemia with AF in HCM. METHODS: A total of 606 patients with HCM who underwent sleep evaluations were included. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between sleep disorder and AF. RESULTS: SA was presented in 363 (59.9%) patients, of whom 337 (55.6%) had OSA and 26 (4.3%) had CSA. Patients with SA were older, more often male, had a higher body mass index, and more clinical comorbidities. Prevalence of AF was higher in patients with CSA than patients with OSA and without SA (50.0% versus 24.9% and 12.8%, p < 0.001). After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cigarette use, New York Heart Association class and severity of mitral regurgitation, SA (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.09-2.94) and nocturnal hypoxemia (higher tertile of percentage of total sleep time with oxygen saturation < 90% [OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.05-3.12] compared with lower tertile) were significantly associated with AF. The association was much stronger in the CSA group (OR, 3.98; 95% CI, 1.56-10.13) than in OSA group (OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.01-2.76). Similar associations were observed when analyses were restricted to persistent/permanent AF. CONCLUSION: Both types of SA and nocturnal hypoxemia were independently associated with AF. Attention should be paid to the screening of both types of SA in the management of AF in HCM.

Comparison of long-term survival after endovascular treatment versus medical therapy in patients with Takayasu's arteritis and pulmonary artery stenosis.

OBJECTIVES: There is currently no unanimous consensus on the treatment of Takayasu's arteritis (TAK) involving the pulmonary artery, and there are very few related studies that compare the efficacies of drug-based therapy and revascularization. This study aimed to compare the long-term survival outcomes after endovascular treatment and medical therapy in TAK patients with pulmonary artery stenosis (PAS) and pulmonary hypertension (PH). METHODS: A total of 129 TAK patients with PAS and PH (women, 101; men, 28; mean age, 40.5 years) were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Data on clinical features, treatment regimens, and mortality, were collected. Patients were categorised into medical treatment (n=75) and percutaneous transluminal pulmonary angioplasty (PTPA; n=54: 52 with PTPA and 2 with stent implantation) groups. The primary endpoint was cardiac mortality. The median follow-up time was 54 (40.5, 58.5) months. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in sex, age, comorbidities, disease activity, World Health Organization (WHO) function classification, and 6-min walk distance (6MWD) between the two groups at baseline. Compared with the conservative treatment group, cardiac mortality, WHO functional class, and 6MWD were significantly improved in the PTPA group (p=0.031, p<0.001, and p=0.004, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Under basic medicine, PTPA therapy improves the long-term survival of TAK patients with PAS and PH compared to medical treatment alone. PTPA may be a promising modality for the TAK patients with PAS and PH.

Coronary Intervention in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients With Symptom Onset >12 Hours: Data from China Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry.

To determine whether late percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of an infarct-related artery >12 h after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction onset is beneficial, patients were included from the prospective, nationwide, multicenter China Acute Myocardial Infarction registry. The number of patients who underwent PCI or received drug therapy alone was 4791 and 1149, respectively. Hazard ratio (HR) and associated 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Compared with drug therapy, PCI was associated with lower incidences of 2-year major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE; 6.43 vs 20.19%; HR, .27; 95% CI, .23-.32; P < .001), all-cause death (4.13 vs 15.74%; HR, .24; 95% CI, .20-.30; P < .001), myocardial infarction (1.73 vs 3.31%; HR, .49; 95% CI, .33-.72; P = .0003), stroke (1.02 vs 2.00%; HR, .47; 95% CI, .28-.77; P = .0026), and revascularization (10.96 vs 27.56%; HR, .32; 95% CI, .26-.39; P < .001). Subgroup analysis consistently indicated that PCI was superior to drug therapy. Moreover, the left ventricular ejection fraction in the PCI group was increased after 2-year follow-up, whereas there was no significant increase in the drug therapy group. In conclusion, late PCI is common in Chinese clinical practice, and it is associated with significant improvements in cardiac function and survival compared with drug therapy alone.

A First-in-Human Study of the Bioheart Sirolimus-Eluting Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: Two-Year Clinical and Imaging Outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Newer generation bioresorbable scaffolds (BRSs) with thinner struts and improved deliverability are expected to enhance safety and efficacy profiles. Bioheart (Bio-Heart, Shanghai, China) BRS is constructed from a PLLA (poly-l-lactic acid) backbone coated with a PDLLA (poly D-l-lactic acid) layer eluting sirolimus. We report 2-year serial intracoronary imaging findings. METHODS: In this first-in-human study, 46 patients with single de novo lesions in native coronary vessels (vessel size 3.0-3.75 mm, lesion length ≤ 25 mm) were enrolled at a single institution. Baseline intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and post-implantation IVUS and optical coherence tomography (OCT) examinations were mandatory. After successful implantations of BRS, the 46 patients were randomized to two different follow-up cohorts in a 2:1 ratio. Thirty patients in cohort 1 had to undergo angiography, IVUS, and OCT follow-ups at 6 and 24 months, respectively. The 16 patients in cohort 2 underwent the same types of imaging follow-ups at 12 and 36 months, respectively. Clinical follow-ups were scheduled uniformly in both cohorts at 1, 6, and 12 months and annually up to 5 years for all patients. RESULTS: Between August and November 2016, a total of 54 patients were assessed. However, 8 patients could not meet all the inclusion criteria; thus, the remaining 46 patients (age 57.5 ± 8.7 years, 34.8% female, 50.0% with unstable angina, 26.1% diabetics) with 46 target lesions were enrolled in this study. All patients in both cohorts were required to complete clinical follow-up uniformly and regularly. In cohort 1, one patient had definite scaffold thrombosis within 6 months of follow-up; thus, after 6 months, cohort 1 had 96.7% patients . Imaging follow-up was available in 24 patients, and in-scaffold late loss was 0.44 ± 0.47 mm; intracoronary imaging confirmed the late loss was mainly due to to neointimal hyperplasia, but not scaffold recoil. CONCLUSIONS: Serial 2-year clinical and imaging follow-up results confirmed the preliminary safety and efficacy of Bioheart BRS for treatment of simple coronary lesions.

Long-Term Outcomes After Percutaneous Transluminal Pulmonary Angioplasty in Patients With Takayasu Arteritis and Pulmonary Hypertension.

Objective: To investigate the long-term efficacy of percutaneous transluminal pulmonary angioplasty (PTPA) in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TA) and pulmonary artery stenosis and pulmonary hypertension (PH). Methods: Data from 183 lesions from 79 surgeries performed on 32 patients with TA and PH were analyzed. Symptoms, laboratory investigation results, World Health Organization (WHO) functional class, 6-min walk distance (6 MWD), hemodynamic parameters, and prognosis were analyzed at baseline and follow-up. Results: The mean (± SD) age of the 32 patients (28 female, 4 male) was 42.8 ± 11.9 years, and the median follow-up was 49.5 months (interquartile range, 26-71 months). Compared with baseline, changes in total bilirubin, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level, 6 MWD, and WHO score functional class demonstrated significant differences (P<0.001). Echocardiography findings, right and left ventricular diameter, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, and estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure were all improved (P=0.016, P<0.001, P<0.001, and P=0.005, respectively). Importantly, repeat right heart catheterization revealed that mean pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, and cardiac index also improved significantly at follow-up (P<0.001, P<0.001, and P=0.011, respectively). Pulmonary angiography revealed post-procedure restenosis in 64 (35.0%) lesions underwent PTPA within three to six months. Among three patients who underwent stent implantation, one experienced restenosis. Two patients died during the follow-up period, one from aggravation of right heart failure after lung infection, and the other in a traffic accident. Conclusions: Results of this study indicated that PTPA significantly improved clinical symptoms, exercise tolerance, and hemodynamic parameters in patients with TA pulmonary artery stenosis and PH. More importantly, reperfusion pulmonary edema significantly decreased, and no patient died of PTPA-related complications with guidance from the pressure wire.

A Retrospective Study to Compare the Effects of Methylprednisolone and Dexamethasone in 35 Patients with Anaphylactic Shock Due to Iodinated Contrast Media During Cardiac Catheterization.

BACKGROUND This retrospective study aimed to compare the effects of methylprednisolone and dexamethasone in 35 patients with anaphylactic shock due to iodinated contrast media (ICM) during cardiac catheterization. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty-five patients diagnosed with ICM-related anaphylactic shock were enrolled. Nineteen patients received methylprednisolone, while 16 patients received dexamethasone. RESULTS The mean age of patients was 59.8 years in the methylprednisolone group and 57.2 years in the dexamethasone group (P=0.502). Most patients were male (82.9% [26/35]). The groups were matched for cardiac function, kidney function, comorbidities, prior contrast, previous radiocontrast media reactions, and allergic tendencies (all P>0.05). The severity of coronary artery disease, assessed using the SYNTAX II score, was similar between groups (P=0.620). Six patients died from ICM-induced anaphylactic shock. There was no significant difference in mortality between the 2 groups (P=1.000). CONCLUSIONS There was no significant difference in patient mortality from anaphylactic shock associated with ICM during cardiac catheterization between the methylprednisolone and dexamethasone groups.

Short- and Long-Term Outcomes in Patients With Right Ventricular Infarction According to Modalities of Reperfusion Strategies in China: Data From China Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry.

PURPOSE: We sought to investigate the short- and long-term outcomes in patients with right ventricular infarction in China. METHODS: Data from China Acute Myocardial Infarction (CAMI) Registry for patients with right ventricular infarction between January 2013 and September 2014 were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 1,988 patients with right ventricular infarction, 733 patients did not receive reperfusion therapy, 281 patients received thrombolysis therapy, and 974 patients underwent primary PCI. Primary PCI and thrombolysis were all associated with lower risks of in-hospital (3.1 vs. 12.6%; adjusted OR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.27-0.87; P = 0.0151 and 5.7 vs. 12.6%; adjusted OR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.22-0.85; P = 0.0155, respectively), and 2-year all-cause mortality (6.3 vs. 20.9%; adjusted HR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.34-0.73; P = 0.0003 and 11.0 vs. 20.9%; adjusted HR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.38-0.92; P = 0.0189, respectively), compared with no reperfusion therapy. Meanwhile, primary PCI was superior to thrombolysis in reducing the risks of in-hospital atrial-ventricular block (4.2 vs. 8.9%; adjusted OR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.23-0.91; P = 0.0257), cardiogenic shock (5.3 vs. 13.9%; adjusted OR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.23-0.83; P = 0.0115), and heart failure (8.5 vs. 23.5%; adjusted OR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.22-0.56; P < 0.0001). Primary PCI could reduce the risk of 2-year major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (19.1 vs. 33.3%; adjusted HR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.56-0.92; P = 0.0092) relative to no reperfusion therapy, whereas thrombolysis may increase the risk of 2-year revascularization (15.5 vs. 8.7%; adjusted HR: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.15-3.16; P = 0.0124) compared with no reperfusion therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Timely reperfusion therapy is essential for patients with right ventricular infarction. Primary PCI may be considered as the default treatment strategy for patients with right ventricular infarction in the contemporary primary PCI era.

Protective ballooning technique for prevention of side branch occlusion in coronary nonleft main true bifurcation lesions: A single-center study.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a protective ballooning technique in preventing side branch (SB) occlusion and to assess the long-term clinical outcomes for coronary nonleft main true bifurcation lesions. BACKGROUND: SB occlusion is a major complication associated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for coronary bifurcation lesions. METHODS: Patients were consecutively enrolled and randomly assigned to protective ballooning technique or jailed wire technique group. Periprocedural and long-term clinical outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Patients in the protective ballooning technique (n = 173) and jailed wire technique (n = 167) groups were followed up for 12 months. SB occlusion occurred in one patient (0.6%) and nine patients (5.4%) in each group, respectively. The proportion of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grade 3 of the SB was higher in the protective ballooning technique group (98.8% vs. 95.2%, p < 0.05). SB rewiring was necessary in one patient in the protective ballooning technique group (0.6%) with provisional stenting, significantly lower than that in the jailed wire technique group (seven patients, 4.2%; p = 0.03). Periprocedural myocardial infarction occurred in three (1.73%) and six (3.59%) patients in the protective ballooning technique and jailed wire technique groups without significant difference, respectively. Major adverse cardiovascular events at 12 months were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Protective ballooning technique is effective for the prevention of SB occlusion in nonleft main true bifurcation lesions and had favorable long-term outcomes at the 12-month follow-up.

Long-term outcomes in inferior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients with right ventricular myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prognostic influence of the presence of right ventricular myocardial infarction (RVMI) on patients with inferior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the contemporary reperfusion era. METHODS: 9308 patients with inferior STEMI were included from the prospective, nationwide, multicenter China Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry, including 1745 (18.75%) patients with RVMI and 7563 (81.25%) patients without RVMI. The primary outcome was two-year all-cause mortality. The secondary outcome was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) defined as a composite of all-cause mortality, recurrent MI, revascularization, stroke, and major bleeding. RESULTS: After two-year follow up, there were no significant differences between inferior STEMI patients with or without RVMI in all-cause mortality (12.0% vs 11.3%; adjusted HR: 1.05; 95% CI: 0.90 to 1.24; P = 0.5103). Inferior STEMI with RVMI was associated with higher risk of MACCE (25.6% vs 22.0%; adjusted HR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.31; P = 0.0038), revascularization (10.3% vs 8.1%; adjusted HR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.48; P = 0.0218), and major bleeding (4.6% vs 2.7%; adjusted HR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.18 to 2.07; P = 0.0019). Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and thrombolysis were independent predictors to decrease all-cause mortality. For patients who received timely reperfusion, RVMI involvement did not increase all-cause mortality, whereas for those who did not undergo reperfusion, RVMI increased all-cause mortality (20.3% vs 15.7%; HR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.63). CONCLUSION: RVMI did not increase all-cause mortality for inferior STEMI patients in contemporary reperfusion era, whereas the risk was increased for patients with no reperfusion treatment.

Diastolic versus systolic coronary computed tomography angiography derived fractional flow reserve for the identification of lesion-specific ischemia.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the measurement discrepancy of coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA)-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR) between diastolic (CT-FFR-D) and systolic (CT-FFR-S) phases using FFR as the reference standard. METHODS: Participants, suspected of coronary artery disease and indicated for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and FFR and coronary CTA and CT-FFR, were enrolled in this study (Clinicaltrials.gov:NCT03692936) from September 2018 to October 2019. For every participant, coronary CTA of both systolic and diastolic phases was postprocessed to calculate CT-FFR-S and CT-FFR-D, respectively. Diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were compared. RESULTS: A total of 181 lesions from 151 participants (mean age 54.5 ± 7.8 years, 113 males) were analyzed. Of these, 129 lesions from 110 participants were successfully measured both in diastolic and systolic phases. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of CT-FFR-D and CT-FFR-S on per-patient level were 88.9%, 91.3%, 90.1% and 66.7%, 87.7%, 76.7%, on per-vessel level were 89.5%, 91.5%, 90.6% and 66.7%, 87.0%, 77.9%, respectively. The ROC curve of CT-FFR-D was significantly higher than that of CT-FFR-S on both per-patient and per-vessel levels (0.938 vs. 0.771, 0.935 vs. 0.772, both p < 0.0001). In severe hemodynamic lesions (FFR ≤ 0.7), the absolute difference between CT-FFR-S and FFR was significantly higher than that between CT-FFR-D and FFR [0.1636, inter-quartile range (IQR): 0.0662-0.2586 vs. 0.0953, IQR: 0.0496-0.1702, p = 0.035]. CONCLUSION: CT-FFR derived in diastole was superior to that derived in systole in detecting coronary ischemic lesions. For lesions with FFR < 0.7, CT-FFR measured in the diastolic phase was noted to be more closely approximated to FFR.

Clinical predictors of the presence of obstructive sleep apnea in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is much common and associated with worse clinical outcomes in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), however, the diagnosis of OSA in HCM is still insufficient. We aim to investigate the clinical predictors of OSA in a large series of patients with HCM. A total of 589 patients with HCM who underwent sleep evaluations were retrospectively enrolled. Data from clinical characteristics and polysomnography studies were recorded. OSA was present in 346 patients (58.7%). Patients who had OSA were older, more likely to be male and had more clinical comorbidities such as hypertension, atrial fibrillation and cardiac remodeling. Multivariate logistic analyses showed that male, age, body mass index, hypertension and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction were significant factors associated with OSA. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.78 (95% CI 0.74-0.82; P < 0.001). These factors were also able to identify moderate to severe OSA with an AUC of 0.77 (95% CI 0.73-0.81; P < 0.001). These findings suggest that identifying HCM patients with high risk for OSA is feasible using characteristics from clinical practices and clinicians should have no hesitate to conduct sleep test in these patients.

Comparison of outcomes for percutaneous coronary intervention in men and women with unprotected left main disease.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with unprotected left main coronary artery disease (ULMCAD) is increasing strategy in coronary artery patients. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the impact of sex on outcomes of patients undergoing ULMCAD PCI. METHODS: From January 2004 to December 2015, there were 3,960 patients undergoing ULMCAD PCI at our institution, including 3,121 (78.8%) men and 839 (21.2%) women. The clinical outcome included the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) (the composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), and revascularization), all-cause death, MI, revascularization at three years follow-up. RESULTS: Compared with men, women had not significantly different MACE (14.7% vs. 14.6%, P = 0.89, all-cause death (3.5% vs. 3.7%, P = 0.76), MI (5.0% vs. 4.3%, P = 0.38), revascularization (9.1% vs. 8.9%, P = 0.86), respectively. After adjustment, rates of MACE (HR = 1.49; 95% CI: 1.24-1.81;P < 0.0001) and all-cause death (HR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.09-2.48; P = 0.017) occurred more frequently in male patients, as well as revascularization (HR = 1.46; 95% CI: 1.16-1.85;P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this analysis, compared to men, women undergoing ULMCAD PCI have better outcomes of MACE, all-cause death, and revascularization.

Long-term clinical outcomes in transradial versus transfemoral access for left main percutaneous coronary intervention.

OBJECTIVE: The present study compared 10-year clinical outcomes between transradial access (TRA) and transfemoral access (TFA) for left main (LM) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: There are limited data regarding the long-term safety and efficacy of TRA for LM PCI. METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated consecutive patients who underwent unprotected LM PCI between January 2004 and December 2008 at Fu Wai Hospital. The exclusion criteria were age of less than 18 years and presentation with acute myocardial infarction. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events (MACCE), which was defined as a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and any revascularization at the 10-year follow-up. RESULTS: Among 913 eligible patients, TRA was used for 417 patients (45.7%) and TFA was used for 496 patients (54.3%). The 30-day clinical outcomes were similar between the two groups. Results from the 10-year follow-up revealed that MACCE occurred in 180 patients (46.7%) from the TRA group and in 239 patients (51.2%) from the TFA group (log-rank p = .3). The TRA and TFA groups also had low and comparable cumulative rates of all-cause death (14.6% vs. 17.3%, log-rank p = .56) and cardiac death (7.9% vs. 9.1%, log-rank p = .7). CONCLUSION: The present study revealed no significant differences in long-term clinical outcomes when TRA or TFA were used for LM PCI.

Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of Unprotected Left Main Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Large Single-Centre Experience.

AIMS: This study sought to report the 10-year clinical outcomes of patients who underwent unprotected left main (LM) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a large centre. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 913 consecutive patients who underwent unprotected LM PCI from January 2004 to December 2008 at Fu Wai Hospital were retrospectively analysed; the mean age was 60.0 ± 10.9 years, females accounted for 22% of patients, diabetes was present in 27.7% of patients, and an LM bifurcation lesion occurred in 82.9% of patients. During the median follow-up of 9.7 years, major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) occurred in 25.6% (234) of patients, and the rates of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and stroke were 14.9%, 11.0%, and 7.1%, respectively. Cardiac death occurred in only 7.9% of patients. The estimated event rate was 41.9% for death/myocardial infarction/any revascularization and 45.9% for death/MI/stroke/any revascularization. Definite/probable stent thrombosis occurred in 4.3% (39) of patients. According to the subgroup analysis, IVUS-guided PCI was associated with less long-term MACCEs. Further multivariate analysis identified that age and LVEF<40% were the only independent predictors for 10-year death. Age, LVEF<40%, creatinine clearance, and incomplete revascularization were independent predictors for death/MI, while a two-stent strategy, diabetes, a transradial approach, and the use of bare metal stents (BMSs) or first-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs) were not. CONCLUSIONS: Unprotected LM PCI in a large cohort of consecutive patients in a single large centre demonstrated favourable long-term outcomes up to 10 years even with the use of BMSs and first-generation of DESs.